Preliminary indoor radon risk assessment at the Poços de Caldas Plateau,MG-Brazil

This paper aims to present an assessment of the environmental radiological exposure at a Brazilian area of high natural radiation and discusses the indoor radon exposure risk. A survey of inhabitant exposures arising from the inhalation of radon progeny and external gamma exposure was conducted in urban and rural areas of the Po?os de Caldas Plateau, which is recognized worldwide as a high natural radiation region. The results of this survey indicated that highest radiation exposure was restricted to the rural area of Po?os de Caldas. The radiation exposure in urban locations was quite similar to the values observed in normal background areas in some Brazilian counties. By the application of a constant relative risk model, an additional 20% in the lifetime risk of lung cancer mortality due to the exposure to radon progeny was estimated at Po?os de Caldas. It was also estimated that 16% of all lung cancer deaths at Po?os de Caldas county could be attributable to radon exposure.     

Curcumin and Its Analogs as a Therapeutic Strategy in Infections Caused by RNA Genome Viruses

Food and Environmental Virology - The use of natural resources for the prevention and treatment of diseases considered fatal to humanity has evolved. Several medicinal plants have nutritional and...     

Distribution of deep-water gorgonian corals in relation to benthic habitat features in the Northeast Channel (Atlantic Canada)

The distribution and abundance of deep-water gorgonian corals were investigated along 52 transects at 183–498 m depth in the Northeast Channel, between Georges Bank and Browns Bank in the northwest Atlantic, using a remotely operated vehicle and a towed video-camera system. Three species (Paragorgia arborea, Primnoa resedaeformis, and Acanthogorgia armata) were observed. Primnoa occurred on 35 transects below 196 m depth, with highest local abundance in stands of 104 colonies per 100 m². Paragorgia was present on 21 transects deeper than 235 m, with highest local abundance of 49 colonies per 100 m². Acanthogorgia was observed at only four transects between 231 m and 364 m, with a local maximum abundance of 199 colonies per 100 m². The maximum abundance averaged for whole transects was 19.2 and 6.2 colonies per 100 m² for Primnoa and Paragorgia, respectively. The corals were more common in the outer part of the channel along the shelf break and slope than on the shelf in the inner part. All three species showed a patchy distribution with no signs of competitive exclusion at any spatial scale. Transects with high abundance of corals were characterised by depths greater than 400 m, maximum temperatures less than 9.2°C, and a relatively high percentage coverage of cobble and boulder (more than 19% and 6%, respectively). High temperatures probably control the upper depth limit of the corals, and Primnoa seems to tolerate slightly higher temperatures than Paragorgia. Abundance of both species was negatively correlated with average temperature and positively with cobbles. Together, temperature, percentage cobble and salinity accounted for 38% of the variance of Primnoa. The comparable figure for Paragorgia was 15%. The observed distribution indicated that the abundance of coral is controlled by additional factors such as larger-scaled topographic features governing the current regimes and thus also the supply of food and larvae.Communicated by R. J. Thompson, St. Johns     

Reproduction and larval development in three scalpellid barnacles, Scalpellum scalpellum (Linnaeus 1767), Ornatoscalpellum stroemii (M. Sars 1859) and Arcoscalpellum michelottianum (Seguenza 1876), Crustacea: Cirripedia: Thoracica): implications for reproduction and dispersal in the deep sea

We studied reproduction and larval development in three species of pedunculated barnacles with different depth distribution, that is, Scalpellum scalpellum (30–200 m), Ornatoscalpellum stroemii (100–1,600 m) and Arcoscalpellum michelottianum (64–5,190 m). Morphology, position and number of males in the female/hermaphrodite, type of larval development and the number and size of eggs were recorded. All three species have a pair of pocket-like receptacles, each of which can host only a single male in O. stroemii, up to five males in S. scalpellum and up to 12 males in A. michelottianum. Eggs and larvae were smallest in S. scalpellum, intermediately sized in O. stroemii and largest in A. michelottianum. Brood size was comparable for S. scalpellum and O. stroemii, but five times higher in A. michelottianum. The ratio for body/egg size is almost similar in S. scalpellum and A. michelottianum, but much smaller in O. stroemii. Both S. scalpellum and A. michelottianum have nauplii that spend upwards of 10 days in the plankton while the larvae of O. stroemii hatch as cyprids that settle soon after release. All these reproductive data indicate that O. stroemii invests considerably more in each propagule than the other two species. We hypothesize that the observed differences in reproductive system and mode of development in the three species represent adaptations to their different habitats. S. scalpellum are mainly transported by currents in the coastal sublittoral zone. O. stroemii is presumably spread by intermediate deep currents along the shelf and shelf-slope, while A. michelottianum occurs on seamounts and is probably transported by demersal currents over wide areas of inhospitable soft-bottoms. Our observations are in accordance with the general pattern that, egg-size and propagule-size are positively correlated to bathymetric and geographic distribution, and that the continental slope environment represents a high disturbance environment, where a short larval stage is an advantage.     

Fish mortality during sea salt episodes--catchment liming as a countermeasure

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is usually associated with acid rain and acidified freshwater systems. The present work demonstrates that acute fish mortality (50%) also occurs in moderate acidified salmon rivers during sea salt episodes. Furthermore, catchment liming was proved to be an efficient measure to counteract the fish toxicity. The impact of sea salt episodes on river water qualities and on Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) was studied in two rivers situated at the west coast of Norway. During February-May 2002, fish were kept in tanks and continually exposed to the changing water qualities. Changes in Al-species were followed using in situ fractionation techniques. During storm events and high sea salt deposition, the sea salt concentration increased (190 to 580 microM Cl), pH decreased (pH 5.3 to 4.6) and the concentration of low molecular mass (LMM) cationic Al-species (Al(i)) increased (0.7 to 3.0 microM) in the river. Subsequently, Al accumulated in fish gills (6 to 19 micromol g(-1) dw) causing ionoregulatory and respiratory failures as well as mortality. In water the concentration of LMM Al(i) stayed enhanced during four weeks, while the physiological stress responses in surviving fish remained high for a longer time (>eight weeks). To counteract Al toxicity, one of the tributary catchments had been limed four years earlier. Due to catchment liming (1000 kg ha(-1)) the water concentration of LMM Al(i)(<0.7 microM) and the Al accumulation in gills remained relatively low (<7 micromol g(-1) dw) during the storm and no fish mortality occurred.     

Morphology and growth of the deep-water gorgonians <Emphasis Type="Italic">Primnoa resedaeformis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paragorgia arborea</Emphasis>

The morphology of the gorgonian corals Paragorgia arborea and Primnoa resedaeformis was studied from video records and colonies collected from different locations in Atlantic Canada, at depths between 200 and 600 m. Growth was studied by relating colony height to age (number of growth rings) in P. resedaeformis, and from a photographic time-series of a P. arborea colony in a Norwegian fjord. The highest P. resedaeformis and P. arborea colonies were 86 and 180 cm, respectively. The height of P. arborea seemed to be restricted by the size of the boulder it was attached to. When the coral exceeds a critical height (approximately twice the stone size), the drag of strong currents can turn the coral and its substrate over. No limiting factors for the height of P. resedaeformis colonies were identified. P. arborea occurred in three colour varieties: red, salmon red, and white. The red and white contributed 41% to the population each, while 18% of the colonies were salmon red. On average the salmon red P. arborea were taller than the red and white. P. arborea colonies >50 cm were mainly concave fan shaped. The orientation of these indicated a near-bottom current pattern similar to what is known from previous current measurements in the area. P. resedaeformis occurred mainly on the up-current side of boulders, but its bushy morphology does not indicate influence by unidirectional current to the same degree as P. arborea. The different height, morphology, and position on boulders of the two species indicate that they utilize different food sources. P. resedaeformis seems to be adapted to a near-bottom environment with turbulent currents, whereas P. arborea utilize uni- or bidirectional currents higher above bottom by developing planar colonies perpendicular to the current. The oldest P. resedaeformis colony was 61 years. The relationship between height and age indicated an average growth of 1.7 cm year^–1 for P. resedaeformis. X-ray images of skeletal sections of P. arborea showed clear growth bands with a maximum band width of 1.3 cm. It is not clear what time scales these bands represent, and they could therefore not be used for indicating age. The limited previously reported data on age and growth of P. arborea indicate an average growth rate of 1 cm year^–1. This gives an age of about 180 years for the largest colony in this study. The time-series photographs, however, indicated a much higher growth rate (varying between 2 and 6 cm year^–1 within the colony), which may be more representative for colonies of an intermediate size.Communicated by R.J. Thompson, St. Johns     

Comprehensive prenatal diagnostics: Exome versus genome sequencing

Objective

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic yield of prenatal genetic testing using trio whole exome sequencing (WES) and trio whole genome sequencing (WGS) in pregnancies with fetal anomalies by comparing the results with conventional chromosomal microarray (CMA) analysis.

Methods

A total of 40 pregnancies with fetal anomalies or increased nuchal translucency (NT ≥ 5 mm) were included between the 12th and 21st week of gestation. Trio WES/WGS and CMA were performed in all cases.

Results

The trio WES/WGS analysis increased the diagnostic yield by 25% in cases with negative CMA results. Furthermore, all six chromosomal aberrations identified by CMA were independently detected by WES/WGS analysis. In total, 16 out of 40 cases obtained a genetic sequence variant, copy number variant, or aneuploidy explaining the phenotype, resulting in an overall WES/WGS diagnostic yield of 40%. WES analysis provided a more reliable identification of mosaic sequence variants than WGS because of its higher sequencing depth.

Conclusions

Prenatal WES/WGS proved to be powerful diagnostic tools for fetal anomalies, surpassing the diagnostic yield of CMA. They have the potential to serve as standalone methods for prenatal diagnosis. The study highlighted the limitations of WGS in accurately detecting mosaic variants, which is particularly relevant when analyzing chorionic villus samples.     

Effects of ocean acidification, temperature and nutrient regimes on the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica: a mesocosm study

Increasing pCO₂ is hypothesized to induce shifts in plankton communities toward smaller cells, reduced carbon export rates and increased roles of gelatinous zooplankton. Appendicularians, among the most numerous pan-global “gelatinous” zooplankton, continuously produce filter-feeding houses, shortcutting marine food webs by ingesting submicron particles, and their discarded houses contribute significantly to carbon fluxes. We present a first mesocosm-scale study on the effects of temperature, pCO₂ and bloom structures on the appendicularian, Oikopleura dioica. There were effects of temperature and nutrients on phytoplankton communities. No shifts in functional phytoplankton groups, nor changes in particle sizes/morphotypes, known to impact appendicularian feeding, were observed under manipulated pCO₂ conditions. However, appendicularian abundance was positively correlated with increased pCO₂, temperature and nutrient levels, consistent with hypotheses concerning gelatinous zooplankton in future oceans. This suggests appendicularians will play more important roles in marine pelagic communities and vertical carbon transport under projected ocean acidification and elevated temperature scenarios.     

Preliminary assessment of antimicrobial activity and acute toxicity of norfloxacin chlorination by-product mixture

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Among drugs and personal care products, antibiotics arouse interest since they are widely used in human and veterinary medicine and can lead to the...